Oil in Navigable Waters Act, 1926

Minister may appoint person to inspect premises and vessels.

8.—(1) The Minister may at his own instance or upon the request of the Minister for Fisheries or on the application of any harbour or local authority appoint an officer of the Minister or other competent and independent person to inspect vessels in any waters to which this Act applies, and every officer and other person so appointed may at all reasonable times enter upon any such vessel and examine the measures adopted therein to prevent the escape of oil therefrom.

(2) The harbour master of any harbour may at all reasonable times enter upon any vessel in such harbour and examine the measures adopted therein to prevent the escape of oil therefrom.

(3) Upon a representation made to the Minister by the Minister for Fisheries or by any local or harbour authority that there is reason to suspect that oil is escaping or has escaped, whether directly or indirectly, into waters to which this Act applies from any premises adjacent to or in the neighbourhood of such waters or adjacent to or in the neighbourhood of waters which communicate with waters to which this Act applies, the Minister may appoint an officer of the Minister or other competent and independent person to inspect such premises, and the officer or other person so appointed may at all reasonable times enter upon such premises and examine the same and the means adopted therein for preventing the escape of oil therefrom.

(4) Any person who obstructs or interferes with any such officer or person as aforesaid or with any harbour master in the exercise of any of the powers conferred on him by or by virtue of this section shall be guilty of an offence under this section and shall be liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding ten pounds.